Gail Halverson, a old spokane resident, lives on Medicare and Medicaid. Now, she is afraid that she can lose its coverage.
“People will be sick, and they will have to go to the nursing home. Halverson said that it was hosted by Wednesday’s medical service provider and Des-Spokane Senator Maria Cantwell.
The Democratic Party argued that Republicans are planning to cut $ 880 billion in Medicade in the budget plan. At the roundtable meeting, the medical service provider shouted at the effects of these reductions on Dongbu Washington’s medical system.
Chas Health CEO, Aaron Wilson, said, “These are our neighbors. These are our friends and family, and those who work with you depend on this Medicaid program. And it is not only our patient, but also our staff, and all of the eastern Washington. “
Jeff Hani, vice president of clinical work in Washington State University, said most medical students on the Spokane Campus use Medicaid.
“We actually rely on these programs to develop future workforce.” “And if we don’t provide Medicaid support for patients and communities, the disease will not stop. People will continue to be sick, and without actually covering insurance, challenges will actually spend more money than actually providing insurance to patients.”
Medicaid beneficiaries also occupy a large portion of the patient in Spokane Hospital. According to the Washington Health Bureau data in 2023, Providence Sacred Heart Hospital produced 26.5%, and Multicare Deacones Hospital produced 20.5%of its revenue through Medicaid.
According to the data from the Washington Health and Medical Authority emphasized in the report of the Maria Cantwell Senate, 54% of children and 22% of adults in the Washington 5th Parliament, including Sporcaine, are guaranteed by this program.
Cantwell said in a round table, “This is not about waste, this is not about fraud, which is about the essential service that helps us to operate the health care system.
Do Republicans want to cut Medicaid?
However, there is a question of whether the Republicans are actually suggesting cuts.
The budget resolution passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month has instructed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to reduce $ 880 billion in spending over the next decade. The Republican Party claims that this cut can turn to Medicade.
A spokesman for R-IDAHO, a spokesman for Mike Simpson, said, “This is not true, but not true.” There is no reduction in social security. There is no reduction of Medicare. There is no reduction of Medicaid. “
However, the Democratic Party points out the letter of the parliamentary budget office, and that 93%of non -medical expenditures according to the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commercial Commission are related to the federal stake in Medicaid. Except for the Republican Party to cut the table, the Commission supervises the $ 8.9 trillion spending.
The committee supervises only $ 700 billion in spending, which is not related to Medicaid or Medicare, which is not enough to fulfill the order. Meanwhile, the Congress Budget Office charges the federal Medicide expenditure for $ 8.2 trillion.
After the roundtable, Cantwell said there was no “logical explanation” of Republican budgets other than Medicaid cuts.
“We are not only cutting Medicaid, but we are talking about tremendous cuts about Medicaid. So we are at a true danger of maintaining our clinic.”
Representative Michael Baumgartner of R-Spokane said on March 17 that additional expenditures for Medicaid could be slow at two other viewing, but according to the Republican plan, “the overall dollar for Medicaid will not be reduced.”
Baumgartner said, “The total Medicaid expenditure will still go up, but Medicaid is a fundamentally broken system. It is a basic sluggish system.
Most of these expansion was made after the adoption of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, that allowed residents to qualify for Medicaid unless they exceed 138%of the national poverty. In other words, in the states that have expanded Medicaid, the main insurance is qualified for less than $ 21,597 for less than one year.
Baumgartner also wanted to see that the Medicide work requirements were enacted so that labor age men did not work and prevent them from using insurance.
How can Medicaid cuts?
If the Republican budget reduction affects Medicaid, it is exactly unclear how these cuts are enacted or affected by the program. The budget resolution does not specify how the Energy and Commercial Commissions earn $ 88 billion and how part of the Medicade can be in the cutting board.
Cantwell said Republican expects to disclose more details about cuts for the next 30 days.
“They’ll have to cleanse what this suggestion is. But if you’re looking for this kind of large -scale cuts, it’s safe to say that the hospital will get closer, the clinic will close, and many people will not be treated.”
In January, POLITICO reported to Republicans in the proposed spending reduction list distributed in leadership. This included a variety of ways to reduce Medicaid, which was very similar to cuts in the 2017 failed attempt to abolish Obama Care.
- The federal government currently pays a specific ratio of the total medical expenses. This can be changed to the fixed amount per beneficiary, which can lead to more financial burdens over time as the medical cost increases.
- With the expansion of Medicaids according to Obama Care, the federal government accounts for 90%of the expansion costs. This can be changed by the federal government to match the low ratio of the state for Medicaid expenditures that are not included in the Obama Care expansion.
- The Republican Party can also present business requirements for beneficiaries to receive Medicade, which is to lower the cost of beneficiaries and federal governments.
Rural health
Reductions in Medicaid can lead to services and closed facilities in rural areas with high medicaid rates, which can affect patients with Medicare or Private Insurance.
In northeastern Washington, 30%of NEW HEALTH’s non -profit patients are in Medicaid. Without Medicaid, New Health should dismiss about one -third of the employees and close the clinic in Springdale, Loon Lake and IONE, Desire Sweeny said.
“In some of these small villages, we are the only medical service provider in the community.
Clinic and pharmacy of the health system offers ferry, stepens and fence or -rail county. Sweeny says suicide rate, smoking and opioid spending is the highest rate, with the expectation of the three counties is 12 years lower than the weekly average, Sweeny said.
The 64 -year -old Elisanne McCutchen lives across the street in the clinic of New Health in Springdale.
McCutchen, who didn’t own a car, said once a month, spokane paid someone to shop for groceries, but it was expensive.
McCutchen said, “Without this clinic, life will be much harder.” Perhaps you have to move to Spokain, you don’t really want to do. “
This clinic conflicts with adrenal deficiency, chronic diseases for more than 30 years. Her adrenal glands do not produce cortisol, so they take supplements. In her condition, it is important to avoid emotional and physical stress.
McCutchen said New Health helps to manage his condition as a whole. When she lived in Tennessee, she had to travel to other experts.
“The rest of my health has improved because my condition is properly managed,” she said.
NEW HELTH, with 189 employees, is one of the largest non -governmental employers in rural areas north of Spokane. In addition to the economic impacts of job cuts, reducing medicaid and stopping preventive treatment can cost more for health systems in the long run.
Some providers say that patients who can be treated in Spokane can put a burden, some providers say. On the other hand, patients who have lost access to primary care may delay diagnosis to pay more treatment for the hospital. The suppliers said that prevention health care is more cost -effective by treating problems before it is out of control.
Haney said, “The more accessibility to the primary care, the more health results are improved and the total treatment cost is significantly reduced.
Medicaid Cuts not only harms a new health clinic, but also faces difficult decisions.
Pend Oreille County’s NewPort Hospital and Health Services confronts Aida’s border and Washington’s patient. About 23%of patient repayment comes from Medicaid.
Kim Manus CEO said, “There is no way to reduce us financially.” “We have already paid less than the cost of treatment for Medicaid. All cuts to Medicaid can provide services, especially services that are rarely repaid.
In 2023, Medicaid paid 21%of the service at Garfield County Hospital District. According to a February snapshot report on Rural Medicaid in the Cantwell office, the hospital’s 2024 operating margin was reduced by 5%in 2024, but it was able to maintain positive net income through subsidies and taxes.
Garfield County Hospital District CEO Mat Slaybaug said, “The small reduction or coverage of the Medicaid repayment is lost or reduced, resulting in reducing the amount of patients, pushing the facility in red and at risk of closed.
Medicaid imbalances are more prominent in central Washington. Eight rural hospitals in Washington receive more than 25% of the total repayment from Medicaid. Seven of them are east of cascade.
This includes Samaria Medical and 58%of Odell Community Hospital with 30%. According to Washington’s health care authorities, more than 98% of children aged 0 to 19 are located in Medicade in Adams County, where Otelo is located.
Cantwell said, “We need a rural health care system.” And Medicaid is a big part of them. “
